


the guilt would eat him away

by afangirldaydreams



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, F/M, Gun Violence, Gunshot Wounds, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Minor Character Death, Prompt: Human Shield, Shooting, Triggers, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 07:37:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20888510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afangirldaydreams/pseuds/afangirldaydreams
Summary: So, he made sure she was well-protected. She had always carried her hand canon, but he taught her how to handle a knife, how to fight with and against it. But it still hadn’t been enough.





	the guilt would eat him away

**Author's Note:**

  * For [siihnrock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/siihnrock/gifts).

> whumptober 2019 prompt no. 4: human shield

When he thinks back on it, he was both still unsure about exactly how it happened and at the same time angry at himself for not being more careful. He knew in his mind that the moment he’d decided to come back and contact Karen, they were doomed. That the good in their relationship would fade at some point due to his unconventional night job. Fade isn’t really the proper word, because Karen knew exactly what she was getting into; he made it very clear from the beginning that he wouldn’t change, he just couldn’t stop what he had been doing for the city.

And she knew that. She _knew him_. She was strong. In fact, she had to be the strongest person he knew apart from Maria. Both were able to handle his shit. But he knew something would happen. Someone would find out about her and use her against him. So, he made sure she was well-protected. She had always carried her hand canon, but he taught her how to handle a knife, how to fight with and against it. But it still hadn’t been enough.

There was a new mob in town, and he had been going after them in slow installments so as not to strike too much attention to himself. Yet they learned about him. They learned about his one weakness, the one he would do anything to save. And they used it against him.

Frank knew something was wrong when he texted her if she’d like a large or an extra-large coffee on his way to her apartment and she didn’t answer. She _always_ answered to coffee, and usually seconds after he sent the message. Especially when she was working from home, which was more often than he thought it was. But that day it was radio silence. On his way home – he had come to think of it as _home_ – he called David and asked for his help, asked if he could find anything of her whereabouts.

A few minutes later he texted him an address, and he recognized it. Fuck, the mob fuckers had gotten to her. He ran. And he ran and he ran and he ran, but in the end, it didn’t matter how fast he was. What really mattered was his aim and getting out alive _for her_. Because she’d made him promise that. She never asked him not to fight; the only thing she asked for was that he’d come home to her, even if he was in pieces. She would make him whole again if necessary.

And so he started going at them. He shot at the bodyguards and got through them easily; they were no match for him when he was sporting the white skull on his chest, because it always made them freeze for a second upon seeing The Punisher in his full glory, and he used that moment of distraction to his advantage.

Their boss, however, was different.

Frank was the one who hesitated.

The boss had Karen by his side. Her eyes seemed relieved when she saw him, but she was being strong, her whole body screamed defiance. He knew she’d have been a pain in the ass for the boss, and that was probably the reason why she was gagged, but the sight still infuriated him. There was also a very light purple showing on her cheek. Bastards.

He aimed and took his shot, right in the middle of the man’s chest. But it was almost as if the boss had some sort of superpower or shit because he was quicker than Frank’s bullet. But he didn’t just get away from it, no. Frank could still see the scene in slow motion, repeating itself over and over again, tormenting him.

The boss pulled Karen in front of him, and she took his bullet.

_His _bullet. He hit her. He shot her.

He hurt her.

He promised to always come home. But what if she never came home? What if he was the reason why she would never come home again?

It was all a blur after that. Her muffled scream mingled with his loud and angry shout, going after the boss and pressing the trigger repeatedly. Karen was on the floor, so there was no way he would pull that stunt again.

Karen.

He dropped his weapon.

He dropped to his knees.

Her hands were tied, and he was momentarily frozen. Should he put pressure on her wound or untie her hands first?

Tears were streaming down her face and when he pulled the gag she was finally able to release her scream of pain.

His aim had been good. Certain. But he was a lucky son of a gun that the bullet hit her shoulder when that bastard used her as his personal shield.

“Take me home”, she said.

He wanted to argue that they should go to the hospital, but he also knew they would have too many questions for her, especially after the cops arrived and noticed the same caliber that killed those assholes was responsible for her wound.

“Frank, just take me home” she repeated through her teeth. “I patch you up, you patch me up. That’s our new deal.”

And so he did.

But the guilt would remain at the back of his mind.

And whenever he looked at her shoulder, whenever he saw that scar, he would be reminded that _he hurt her_. Even though he hadn’t meant to, it was still his fault.

And because she knew him better than anyone, whenever his gaze shifted to the scarred tissue, she would kiss him. She wanted him to forgive himself, but that was a battle he needed to fight himself and she couldn’t take _that_ bullet for him.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked it! comments and feedback are always welcome!


End file.
